MBB: Rice up next for Mavs
11/28/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
UT Arlington (4-1) at Rice (2-4)
Sunday | 5 p.m. | Houston (Tudor Fieldhouse)
UTA Notes | KKGM 1630 AM | | Watch
By Art Garcia | @ArtGarcia92
ARLINGTON, Texas - After a brief College Park Center pit stop, UT Arlington men's basketball is back on the road. The Mavericks head to Houston for their first meeting with Rice in 36 years on Sunday.
UTA carries a three-game winning streak to Tudor Fieldhouse after road wins at Ohio State and Memphis, and Wednesday's home victory over Grambling State. The Mavericks are 4-1 for the first time since 2010-11. That's also the last season UTA started 5-1.
Defense has been instrumental during the winning streak. The Mavs have allowed an average of 57.3 points on 32.9-percent shooting over the last three games. UTA has also out-rebounded its foes 48.3-41.7 during that stretch.
In the 73-40 victory over Grambling State, UTA tied a record for fewest points allowed in a win. The Mavs set the record in 66-40 win over Sam Houston State Jan. 11, 2012. Both 40-point games have been under UTA coach Scott Cross.
The Mavericks are only shooting 35.7 percent during the winning run, including just 36.8 percent in the Grambling blowout. Cross is able to overlook the offensive struggles, at least for now, after shutdown performances like Wednesday at home.
"Our defense picked up right where we left off at Ohio State and Memphis," Cross said. "We did a pretty good job on the boards for the most part. Sooner or later, I feel, offensively we're going to have a breakout game and we're going to get hot.
"I do think we have too many good shooters and it's just a matter of time before these guys erupt and we have an offensive game. I think from there we're going to be really tough on both ends of the floor. What's great is we're able to win ugly basketball games and that's what we've made it. We've made our games ugly and defensive."
Sophomore forward Kevin Hervey is leading the Mavs in scoring (15.8 ppg) and rebounding (8.0 rpg), and is coming off consecutive double-doubles. Sophomore guard Erick Neal (12.0 ppg) and junior forward Jalen Jones (10 ppg) are also scoring in double figures.
Rice (2-4) is coming off an 87-81 win against UC Riverside. Tip for UTA-Rice is set for 5 p.m. with the D-FW radio broadcast is KKGM 1630 AM. The series between the Mavs and Owls is tied 2-2, with UTA winning the last two meetings in 1979.
